Ducati 500SL Pantah

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First shown December 1979, it came on the market as the 1980 500SL and the last of the line 650SL was sold in 1986.

Pantah[edit | edit source]

Ducati Pantah
1980 Ducati 500SL Pantah

When the 1976 350cc and 500cc vertical twins were recognised as a marketing disaster, Fabio Taglioni went to work developing the Pantah. The Ducat Pantah 500 is where the current line of V twins began. Developed from the last of the GP500 racers of 1973, the Pantah and its successors have shown that, contrary to the previously accepted wisdom, a twin can race against the fours and win. The bike was first shown at the Milan Bike show in December 1979. The prototype was different again to Ducati’s earlier bikes: it had a trellis frame, with the suspended motor acting as a stressed member, the swingarm pivoted on the rear of the crankcase, the SOHC was driven by toothed rubber belt, the primary transmission was via Morse chain and the front disc was a Campagnolo Hydroconico. The claimed performance was impressive: 500cc, 50hp @ 8500rpm, 180kg, 1450mm of wheelbase, significantly different from the earlier bevel head V twins which were long bulky and stable, and easily surpassed the ill-conceived 1976 parallel twins.

The Pantah came onto the market in 1980 as the red and silver 500SL, with the engine using belt driven camshafts, and a plain bearing crankshaft. It had the same bore and stroke as the old 500 racer, 74mm x 58mm, but the head had a 60 degree included valve angle and kept the belt driven camshafts used on the final 500GP engine version. They were noticeably lacking in bottom end and mid range torque, but revved freely enough. The suspension seemed less certain than earlier Ducati models, and the 35mm front forks lacked rigidity.

Enthusiasts found the final gearing too tall, and the intake and exhaust restrictive. If you changed those for higher flow items, and lowered the gearing, it gave a performance increase.

Ducati Pantah 600SL, 600TL and TT2 racer[edit | edit source]

In 1981 the silver 600SL became available with fairing and hydraulic clutch activation. It had an 80 mm bore and the 58 mm stroke giving 583 cc (The first Pantah based racer, the 600 cc TT2 racer used 81 mm) By 1984 the last of the 600SL bikes had MHR paint. In 1982 the 600TL was released, and the styling was promptly panned. The TL only lasted till 1983.


Ducati Pantah 650SL and TT1 750 racer[edit | edit source]

In 1983 the 650SL came about because of the need to homologate the TT1 750 racer's 61.5 mm stroke. Instead of producing a production 750, the 650SL was born with 82 mm bore and the required 61.5 mm stroke. Visually it was the same as the 600SL, but it had more torque, and that was a big improvement. The 650SL produced 63 hp @ 8500 rpm.

Pantah.jpg
Ducati 500SL Pantah
Manufacturer
Production 1979 - 1983
Class Naked
Engine
air-cooled, four-stroke, 90-degree V-Twin, SOHC, desmodromic 2 valves per cylinder
Bore / Stroke 58.4mm x 58.4mm
Compression ratio 9.5:1
Horsepower 45.06 HP (33.6 KW) @ 9050RPM
Transmission Gear box: 5-speed, manual

Final Drive: chain

Clutch: wet multi-disc, manual
Suspension Front: 35mm Marzocchi telescopic fork
Rear: Marzocchi adjustable dual shock absorbers
Brakes Front: dual 260mm discs, 2-piston calipers
Rear: single 260mm disc, 1-piston caliper
Front Tire 100/90-18
Rear Tire 110/90-18
Weight 183.0 kg (wet)
Manuals Service Manual


The Ducati 500SL Pantah was a air-cooled, four-stroke, 90-degree V-Twin, SOHC, desmodromic 2 valves per cylinder Naked motorcycle produced by Ducati between 1979 and 1983. Claimed horsepower was 45.06 HP (33.6 KW) @ 9050 RPM.

Engine[edit | edit source]

A 58.4mm bore x 58.4mm stroke result in a displacement of just 497.0 cubic centimeters.

Drive[edit | edit source]

The bike has a 5-speed, manual transmission. Power was moderated via the wet multi-disc, manual.

Chassis[edit | edit source]

It came with a 100/90-18 front tire and a 110/90-18 rear tire. Stopping was achieved via dual 260mm discs, 2-piston calipers in the front and a single 260mm disc, 1-piston caliper in the rear. The front suspension was a 35mm Marzocchi telescopic fork while the rear was equipped with a Marzocchi adjustable dual shock absorbers.

1979 Ducati 500SL Pantah[edit | edit source]

1979 Ducati 500SL Pantah 1979 Ducati 500SL Pantah 1979 Ducati 500SL Pantah

The 1979 MY Ducati 500SL Pantah has, at its heart, an air-cooled, four-stroke, 497cc, 90-degree V-Twin desmodromic engine paired to a five-speed manual transmission and can produce a claimed 45 horsepower at 9050 rpm.

This machine comes with fittings such as a half-fairing with a large windscreen, a dual seat, a center stand, cast-aluminum wheels, dual front disc brakes, a hydraulic telescopic front fork coupled to dual rear shock absorbers, a round headlight, an analogue instrumentation panel and a dual exhaust system.


1980 Ducati 500SL Pantah[edit | edit source]

1980 Ducati 500SL Pantah 1980 Ducati 500SL Pantah 1980 Ducati 500SL Pantah 1980 Ducati 500SL Pantah

The 1980 MY Ducati 500SL Pantah has features such as a half-fairing with a large windscreen, a dual seat, a center stand, cast-aluminum wheels, dual front disc brakes, a 35mm Marzocchi hydraulic telescopic front fork coupled to Marzocchi adjustable dual rear shock absorbers, a round headlight, an analogue instrumentation panel and a dual exhaust system.

In the engine department it sports an air-cooled, four-stroke, 497cc, 90-degree V-Twin desmodromic powerhouse, paired to a five-speed manual transmission, that can reach a maximum power output of 45 horsepower at 9050 rpm.


1981 Ducati 500SL Pantah[edit | edit source]

The 1981 MY Ducati 500SL Pantah boasts a maximum power output of 45 horsepower at 9050 rpm from its air-cooled, four-stroke, 497cc, 90-degree V-Twin desmodromic powerplant mated to a five-speed manual transmission with a chain final drive.

Also, it comes with a half-fairing with a large windscreen, a dual seat, a center stand, cast-aluminum wheels, dual front disc brakes, a 35mm Marzocchi hydraulic telescopic front fork coupled to Marzocchi adjustable dual rear shock absorbers, a round headlight, an analogue instrumentation panel and a dual exhaust system.


1982 Ducati 500SL Pantah[edit | edit source]

The Italian engineers from the House of Bologna have launched yet another embodiment of the Ducati 500SL Pantah for riders who want a machine capable of tackling busy city traffic, as well as longer hauls during the weekends. It has, at its heart, an air-cooled, four-stroke, 497cc, 90-degree V-Twin desmodromic engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission that is capable of producing 45 horsepower at 9050 rpm.

In addition, they have fitted this two wheeler with a half-fairing with a large windscreen, a dual seat, a center stand, cast-aluminum wheels, dual front disc brakes, a 35mm Marzocchi hydraulic telescopic front fork coupled to Marzocchi adjustable dual rear shock absorbers, a round headlight, an analogue instrumentation panel and a dual exhaust system.


1983 Ducati 500SL Pantah[edit | edit source]

1983 Ducati 500SL Pantah 1983 Ducati 500SL Pantah

The 1983 MY Ducati 500SL Pantah can tackle both the busy traffic of the urban jungle, as well as longer hauls on the freeway or through the scenic landscapes around cities. It has standard fittings such as a half-fairing with a large windscreen, a dual seat, a center stand, cast-aluminum wheels, dual front disc brakes, a 35mm Marzocchi hydraulic telescopic front fork coupled to Marzocchi adjustable dual rear shock absorbers, a round headlight, an analogue instrumentation panel and a dual exhaust system.

In the engine department it comes equipped with a four-stroke, air-cooled, 497cc, 90-degree V-Twin desmodromic powerplant, paired to a five-speed manual transmission, and can reach a maximum power output of 45 horsepower at 9050 rpm.